Picking Up The Pieces
by StormsThing1
Summary: Cruel. They were cruel. Each and every one of them, as they cheered him on, the man whose name was unknown. Each and everyone of them. Cruel. All except him. He had gone this far after an off comment on the world's unfairness. He was the opposite of cruel. He was too kind. And now he was dead. And now she had no brother. They were cruel.
1. Chapter 1

_Cruel._ The world, and everyone on it. _Cruel_. Everything. Their cheers, reverberating in her ears. _Cruel._ His blade swishing through the air, droplets of red staining the blue podium. _Cruel_. The liquid's distinctly metallic scent, invading her nostrils. _Cruel_. The air careening off His blade as he took another theatrical swing. The sound of her own pitiful cry as she stared uncomprehendingly at the scene before her. The cruelest of the cruel. Everyone. Everyone but him.

He didn't deserve this fate. This was all her fault. He was far too kind, not a shred of malice in him. He couldn't do wrong, even if he wanted to. He would stop the world if she wanted him to, was this really a stretch? To do all of this because of one off-hand comment she made once about how the world was to horrible, and how it should be a gentler place. She didn't expect him to pay any mind to it, after it was out of her mouth she didn't. He didn't need the burden of granting his blind and crippled sister's wish. She didn't want him to, especially if he had to go this far in order to do it.

_I'm all alone._ The thought came to her as she touched his face. Some phrases exited her mouth, she wasn't really aware of what she was saying. _Now I have no one._ From a very young age, he had been her primary care giver, and really her only family. She had a very large immediate family, half-siblings galore, but he had been her one true sibling, and later, her... she hesitated to say parent, but that was really what he was, though she never saw him that way. She was just her big brother, too kind for his own good.

He really started as her care giver when she was six, after the attack. They called it a well planned terrorist attack, but it never sounded like Big Brother believed it, so neither did she. A majority of her father's other wives and their children didn't like her or her brother, especially since 'The Commoner's Children' were still considered to be inline for the throne. It was a minor controversy, when her father, the former emperor, decided to take a commoner as one of his brides. But she wasn't really a commoner, as she had gained knighthood through the military. That was one of the reasons that it seemed unbelievable that it was a terrorist attack that took her away. It wasn't uncommon for brides of the emperor to kill off each other and their offspring, in order to get their own children closer in line to the throne.

She'd been there, when Mama was killed. She didn't remember much, a combination of being six at the time, and shock blocking the memories along with the use of her eyes away, but she distinctly remembered a flurry of bullets and some kind of weight being thrown on her, and then nothing until she woke up inside the sterile smell of the hospital. She had reached a hand up to probe whatever it was sticking from her throat, and then the voices started.

_"Hey, I think she's awake!"_ a kind sounding man. A hand reached and smoothed her hand back down to her side.

Another voice, this time a young woman's. "_It's alright Princess, sweetie. We'll get the breathing tube out soon, little pinch, deep breath." _the woman had instructed, releasing her hand to a bunch of tinnier ones, though not as small as her own. She deducted pretty quickly that there were two children in the room with her. There was a pinch in her throat, then she felt the burden of having to breath for herself.

"_H-hey, could-d you turn on a light?"_ her own tiny voice, and a sharp intake of air from her bedside. "_It's really dark in here, and I can't see a thing."_ one of the hand sets released, and she felt a pressure by her head. Instinctively she turned to look at whoever it was.

"_Y-you can't see?"_ her big brother's voice this time.

"_Lelouch!"_ she smiled happily. "_Big Brother, why is it so dark? Its a hospital, shouldn't it be light?"_

"_Nunnally?" _another, older voice from the corner.

"_Cornelia!" _her older half-sister had just started military training, how could she be here? "_Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in training?"_

"_I came to see you, Dearie."_ was the almost twenty-year-old's reply. "_How do you feel? Anything hurt?"_ a comforting hand on the forehead accompanied those worried words.

_ "I feel fine." _she smiled, still unaware of the numbness from the waist down. "_Now could you please turn on a light? It's so dark."_

"_Princess Cornelia?" _the first man to speak questioned. "_May I speak to you outside?"_

_ "Huh."_ followed by footsteps was the only reply to the man's query.

_ "Guess who else is here?"_ the last pair of hands lingering on her own tightened as the youngest child besides herself spoke.

_ "Euphy!" _Nunnally smiled as she recognized the sibling closest in age to her self's voice. "_Now all I need is for a light to be on and this'll be just perfect!"_

"_But Nanna," _Euphy sounded worried. "_All the lights in here are on."_

_ "Th-then why cant I see?" _Nunnally had the worst feeling.

A door opened, and she felt her older sister drape herself across the bed, enveloping the young child in a hug. "_The doctor say he believes you've been blinded from the psychological stress, as well as paralyzed from the waist-" _Cornelia was suddenly puled away, a smaller body occupying the space where she had been.

_ "No! Nunnally, you're gonna be fine, I know it! It'll take a few days to clear..." _his voice trailed off as he realized the stupidity of what he'd said and done, lying to his now crippled sister, and pushing his oldest sister out of the way. He'd get in trouble._ "Sorry, Cornelia."_ he hung his head in shame.

"_For what?"_ Cornelia sounded shocked at his apology. _"Why apologize for being shocked at such shocking news? Toughen up! You'll get nowhere if you're to terrified of me to try and protect little Nunnally!"_

_ "B-blind?" _Euphy asked. "_Y-you mean Nanna won't be able to play anymore?" _a tear slid down Nunnally's cheek as she realized the same thing.

_ "She'll still be able to play." _Cornelia soothed, patting her younger sister's pink hair. A hand wiped the tear from Nunnally's cheek, she couldn't tell who it was though. "_Just in a different way." _the young woman continued.

Nunnally smiled at the thought. Life would just be a little different for a while as she got used to her new predicament, but nothing major. "_Yep, I'll be able to play again in no time!"_ another thought crossed her mind. "_Big Brother? When is Mama gonna come in here? Or is she already in here, just trying to mess with me?"_ Mama loved to play jokes like that.

_ "Nunnally,"_ Lelouch started, sounding sad. "_Mama's dead."_ he sounded chocked at the end, presumably crying.

_ "Mama's...dead?" _tears leaked out of her eyes. "_For real? Please! Tell me this is a joke!" _in the distance a loud beeping began. "_She cant be dead... she cant..."_

_ "Nunnally... Lady Marianne she died in a well-organized terrorist attack, the same one that injured you."_ Cornelia explained. "_Her funeral was yesterday."_

_ "It was hard to get Big Brother Lulu out of your room to go. He was so indecisive! One minute he wanted to go, the next he wanted to stay here, in case you woke up. Eventually he settled with bringing a moniter with a live feed from in here with him, along with a webcam so you could watch if you woke."_ Euphy explained. "_It was sweet._"

"_Mama's... dead?"_ the child repeated once more, tears flowing from her eyes, the beeping more insistant. "_She is, isn't she?" _now she was sobbing, heart beating fast.

"_Highnesses."_ the young woman from earlier spoke. "_I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You're worrying Princess Nunnally, and exelarating her heartbeat, which could slow her recovery-."_

_ "No!" _Lelouch screamed and gripped the side of her bed, Euphy began to cry as she squeezed her barely younger half-sister's hand. "_I won't leave Nunnally!"_

_ "Nunnally!" _Euphy cried as the hand she was gripping was raised off the bed, and eventually released. "_Bye-bye." _more muffled sobs. Cornelia's purple suit was probably soaked at this point, the shoulder especially as she carried her young sister away from her younger sister's bedside.

_ "Lelouch! Do as the doctor says and leave, it'll hurt Nanna's health if you try to stay and you're too big for me to carry. I'm sure you also would not like everyone to see me carrying you through Pendragon."_ Cornelia scolded her younger brother.

_ "B-but! No! I won't leave Nunnally!" _there was a tug from the side of the bed. "_No! Don't make me leave!"_ the tugging become more insistant, and Cornelia's footsteps could be heard walking away and out carrying Euphy's muffled tears with her.

"_Big Brother!"_ Nunnally lunged her chest forward, momentum swinging her to an upright position. Then she noticed-her legs didn't work. She could feel doctors tugging on her arms, her shoulders, but they weren't forcing her down, or pushing as hard as they could, as they would a normal patient. The little girl was Nunnally vi Brittania, 4th princess and it was pretty clear what she wanted.

Thanks to the temper tantrum he had thrown, her big brother was able to stay in the same room as her, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. They offered a bed for him, but he refused, settling for a fluffy pillow placed at his sister's feet, and at one point had to be hooked up to an I.V., because he refused to leave the room, even to eat or drink. After she expressed her worry that he was going to hurt himself worrying about her and how sad she'd be if that happened, he gained his appetite back with a vengance, and she was happy. She was not well enough to go to Mama's memorial service several days after she woke, but she and Lelouch had been able to watch on the T.V. together, all alone in that room. She got better, and was finally able to return home, to Aries Villa, but only for a short time.

When she got home, that was probably the hardest, but at the same time, it was really fun, seeing all her siblings so flustered at her predicament. On her first day back from the hospital, she and Lelouch were greeted with a large group of their siblings there for a surprise party, organized by Euphy(mainly with Cornelia's help). Clovis was there, her usually trickster-ish big brother turned into a big softie. That didn't stop him from challenging Lelouch at chess, though, thinking probably because he was out of practice he could beat his little brother at the strategy game. He was wrong. That of course led her even older brother, Schneizel to chalenge Leloush to a match which he won. Euphy was there, along with Cornelia as well as, as she later learned, Anya Alstreim, who had gone to Aries Villa in order to learn ediquite from Lady Marianne. Apparently the girl was lurking in the shadows, but could occasionally be seen smiling proudly at her or Lelouch.

After the party was over, then the troubles began. Aries Villa was a three story building, and none of it was wheel chair accesable. So the only way for her to go up or down stairs was to have someone carry her, and she didn't want to burden anyone with the task, though a couple times she fell asleep on the couch and woke up in her bed on the third floor. Whenever she absolutely had to go somewhere on another floor of the house. Lelouch offered to carry her, and that was the start of her reliance on him.

At first Nunnally cried a lot, and no one could blame her, she was a little kid who had just lost her mother, vision, and use of her legs. At one point, when Lelouch noticed she was holding in tears, he told her just to get it all out, and that it would only hurt more later if she didn't. So she did. For what felt like hours she sat undisturbed on her bed next to him, bawling.

When she was done she leaned back, smiling. "_Big Brother is so strong!"_ she declared happily. "_All this has happened, and I haven't seen him cry once. Or~ did you just let it out already!" _she wiped her tears and grabbed a book, having picked up braille easily, it was her favorite thing to do during those boring days.

He had laughed when she called him strong, and joked around a little bit, but later that week she had reached up to touch his face when he was telling her goodnight, and she felt his face slick with tears. He had been holding it in, just so that she could be happy. She felt horrible for doing that to him. Absolutely horrible.

Then they were shipped off the the prime minister of Japan's house, the Kururugi household, and her world took another violent turn. She had to get used to speaking a foreign language with very different grammar concepts than her own, she had to deal with pretty much being sold to Japan by her father, she had to deal with missing her family... there was a lot to deal with. Lelouch also had a lot of stress on his shoulders. He was raised to be against the Japanese, so he was wary of going into their care, and mostly of her going into their care. The natives also weren't to fond of them, being Britts. But Lelouch made a real friend there, Prime Minister Kururugi's son, Suzaku Kururugi. Nunnally was happy, at home in Pendragon, Big Brother didn't have a single friend to his name, not counting Euphy who to him was a precious little sister. It was a nice change of pace, and she loved it so very much. Of course, the universe just couldn't let her be happy, so the Brittanian air raids began.

When they were in Japan, after the air raids from Brittania started, Lelouch and Suzaku were constantly sticking their necks out for her sake, and she was just a freeloader. The two barely ten-year-olds carrying her through an active war zone. She constantly dropped hints about how they should just leave her somewhere, but every hint was met with an uproar that basically meant: we wont leave you to die. She felt honored, but awful that they were going through so much extra trouble for her sake.

Eventually they split up, her and Lelouch to take refuge with the Ashfords, a family that had a daughter Lelouch's age that they were sure would offer them refuge while keeping their heritege a secret, and Suzaku to go to another family estate of his to look for a surviving family member. All three knew they would never see each other again. She and Big Brother made it too the Ashford's, and were welcomed with open arms. Milly- their daughter Lelouch's age- wanted a little sister, and pampered Nunnally like a princess, even before knowing their heritage. Nunnally was happy, living with the Ashfords, and when the war ended and Japan-now Area 11- was conquered she felt a pang of sadness for the beautiful country, but glad the fighting and deaths were over. She always felt a pang of sadness though over the boy she considered her other brother who was most likely dead.

But then he wasn't. He went to Ashford Academy, her and Lelouch's school that the family they were staying with owned. Her world was complete.

Then the terrorist attacks by various Japanese resistance groups got more serious, and Lelouch started growing further from her. She was selfish, she knew, but she wanted him and his kindness all too himself. During the black rebellion her uncle, V.V., picked her up, and she reclaimed her spot as a member of the royal family. Zero, the leader of the rebellion, apparently disappeared during the decisive battle, and the Black Knights were crushed, many Elevens killed in the days after, a saddening amount. Nunnally pleaded until she was given the cursed position as Viceroy of Area 11, so that she could recreate the special zone Euphy had died to create.

Then... Suzaku, now the Knight of Seven, called her, and gave the phone to Lelouch, and she was happy, she had been worried he'd died. But, he said the weirdest things. First he was saying that he loved her and she'd have to play along, then he was saying he didn't know who she was. Then Zero came back and the whole mess with the Black Rebellion started over again, but this time they succeeded. Nunnally wasn't sad to loose the Area, she was glad the people had gained independence. Then, at Pendragon... the Emperor died, and Lelouch appeared, claiming he had killed him... and so started the reign of The Demon Emperor Lelouch.

But now, she knew that everything he had done was for her, for her dream of a peaceful world. The Zero Requiem. The plan Lelouch had hatched to get all the hate in the world focused on himself so then whenever someone would kill him, all the hate would disappear. He didn't have too.

"Yes, I have... destroyed the world...and created...a...new." his weak and trembling lips moved, speaking quiet words. His eyes closed, and he exhaled.

_Yes, Big Brother._ Nunnally looked at him, to shocked to move her lips. _You destroyed this horrible world, and created a new, better world. _She saw his chest's stuttering rise and fall halt. If she wanted to say it, it was now or never. "Oh! Big Brother, I love you!" she hugged him close, not minding the vile liquid staining her clothes, her hair, her face. She screamed, and sobbed over him, in return for the blood staining her shirt, she stained his with tears. Though she was wailing quite loudly, she could still hear them in the streets, cheering her brother's murderer on.

"Zero! Zero!" they cried. "Zero! Zero!"

"The Demon Lelouch is dead!" oh, Big Sister. How little loyalty to your kid brother. Cornelia ran down the stairs of the building she was hiding in, her followers close behind, they set about freeing his prisoners, some of which she would probably recognize when they spoke. Her older sister's shouts brought tears to her eyes. She wailed even louder.

She was getting tired. They were still partying, celebrating her brother's death, and she was still wailing. Her tears would never dry up, never ever. She used her hands, and dragged her body over closer to her brother's, the chains used to bind her clanking the whole way. She lifted up his arms, and curled up under it, cuddling into him like she did when she was really little. Already she was so stained with blood that a bit more caused her no worry. The sun was hanging low in the sky. "Goodnight, Big Brother."

The tears flowed double time, and her heart was pounding. She could still hear the sounds of the party. Then a slightly familiar voice stood out. "O-okay. I'll be back in a second. I'm gonna go see if I... can find Nina!" Nina was a name she recognized, but it was also very common.

"Nunnally?" the voice was closer now. It was definitely familiar. She knew that voice. She turner and looked up at a young man... no, it was a teenager. An older teenager, but a teenager nonetheless. He had his blue-blue?-hair parted perfectly in the middle, the ends flying up, trying to defy gravity as best it could. He wrapped a hand around her, and hugged her, though he was a bit wary of the blood. She could feel his hands that had managed to wrap all the way around her body, and gripped her

shoulders. Those hands... she recognized them. And that voice, definetly familiar. And she had an idea of who it was.

"R-Rivalz?" she asked, trying to confirm if this was her brother's best friend-other than Suzaku- and a fellow member of the Ashford Academy student council. Apparently his family had moved back to the homeland when things got hairy.

"I'm so sorry," his voice trembled as he spoke. A voice called out from the fray of people trying to get a word in with Zero, with her brother's killer. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she hugged Rivalz, who she finally got to see. The tears started flowing even harder.

"Rivalz!" the voice was clearer now. It was a woman, probably Rivalz's mom.

"Geez," the boy in question reached a hand up to his neck. "I'm gonna have to explain later why I didn't come." he patted Nunnally on the head, and she could see just how sad he was, but hiding it for her sake. "Your eyes are pretty." he said out of the blue, so akwardly, he was probably trying to distract her from her brother's... form... right beside her. "Big and purple, just like Lelouch's..." he trailed off, and the top of her head was becoming moist. He was grieving too, but hiding it much better than she was.

"Go." her voice was rough and quivering. "Back there. To your loved ones. I want to be alone... I just want it to be me and Big Brother."

Rivalz nodded, knowing that was the best thing he could and should do. "See you around." he ran back into the mess of bodies, looking sadder than he had been when he left it. She cried as she saw his retreating form, but she really wanted nothing more than to be alone. Just her and her older brother. She wiped her hands across her eyes. More tears came to replace the ones she discarded.

Who knows how long they cheered on her brother's murderer, looks piercing her back the whole time. Some were sad, mournfully looking over to the small child who had just lost the only living relative that really care for her, and yet were still to afraid to give their condolences. She felt the steely glares of those who thought she was crazy for crying over that madman's, that murderer's body.

But he wasn't a madman, nor was he a murderer. He was her big brother, to kind for his own good.

Nunally touched her head down onto her brother's, and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. He was going far, far away, where she'd never see him again. He was going to where Mother, and Father, and Euphemia, and Suzaku, and too many of her friends were. He was going far beyond her reach and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. Nothing she did could bring him back, nothing would let her see his kind smile, or hear his kind voice, or feel his gentle hands tucking her under the covers, giving her a kiss on the cheek whether he knew she was awake or not. Nothing would get her big brother back.

In what world was this fair? In what world was it okay to steal little girl's families out from under them? But she surely should have learned long ago that the world was not fair. But she could be happy in the unfair world. She could be happy, with her brother and friends. Yes they were living in hiding, leaching off the good will of others, but they were happy. But now-!

She chocked off another sob as black began to invade her vision. Maybe it was the exhaustion getting to her. Maybe she had dehydrated herself with the sheer amount of tears. Maybe she was going to visit with Brother, and Suzaku and the others.

No matter the cause or end result, she slipped into black.

* * *

**A/N:So... I don't own it. In case you didn't figure that out.**

**This was a story I just had to write, even though I was crying part of the time during writing. Also, I learned to always reread your work before posting. At one point I had forgotten a 'r' in 'shirt'... that would have been disasterous! **

**What do you think? Please tell me, I want to know your thoughts, even flames.**

**Peace!**


	2. Chapter 2

The girl sat in her chair at the top of the podium, stony faced as they officially crowned her as the 100th empress of the Holy Brittanian Empire. She stared at a place beyond the camera, and saw nothing but horrid memories. Her whole family was gone, taken away by the cruel world and horrid circumstances. And now the people were celebrating. Countless parties had taken place as her older brother's death was broadcast across the nation. Most all people ignoring the sobbing little sister he left behind.

"Nunnally vi Brittania!" the booming voice finished the well rehearsed speech that she didn't bother to listen too. She closed her eyes and let a single tear slide down her cheeks, probably to the confusion of everyone watching. 'vi Brittania' was a name she had given up to be with Lelouch, though now as he was gone 'Lamprouge' didn't fit either.

The cameras stopped rolling and she signaled to Zero, who stood behind her chair with one hand, urging him to help her back to her room. He complied, the boy behind the mask that was her brother's and now belonged to the county's savior, and pushed her into the lavish room she really didn't need.

She teared up as she looked at the wall she had decorated herself, full of pictures from Ashford with her and Brother and all their friends. There were pictures of the orange haired girl, who she now knew was Shirley, looking flustered for some reason, pictures of the blonde Milly and silly looking Rivalz forcing poor Lelouch into some weird costume, and several pictures of just Lelouch, or her and Lelouch, and even one picture of the two of them and the Kururugis she had managed to dig up. There was a young Suzaku smiling at her from the image, at least she believed it to be Suzaku. All of the more recent images of him had been destroyed by some faction of the government before she could get her hands on any.

She rolled herself to the closet and grabbed the dress set out specifically for this day. It was solid black, with a collar that touched the underside of her chin, and sleeves that were almost too tight until they reached her elbows, where they fanned out. It was a funeral dress. Sayako, who had decided to stick with Nunnally, then entered and began to help her dress.

It was far too sunny outside for such a grim occasion, she decided as she was helped out of the car by Zero and into the brilliant golden sun. the field set aside for the occasion was full of grass reaching up to her knees, and bright flowers everywhere. It really was a beautiful place. In the near distance she could see a coffin sitting upon a table, and plastic chairs set up everywhere, all empty.

Her chair was rolled up right to the front, sitting directly before the ivory box with a beautiful picture of her brother placed atop of a violet cloth that had come to rest on the box. She placed the bouquet of violet flowers she had brought with her on top of the box and broke down, sobbing into her hands. No one even came to his funeral, not one person. She would've thought people would come, to spit on the grave if nothing else. But it seemed that now they gained the decency to wait until the morning family was out of sight to celebrate.

She had put up such a big fight in order to have a funeral, and finally they relented out of 'respect for the dead' they called it. More like 'not pissing off the new empress'. She would have though Cornelia, or Kallen or _someone_ would come, to remember the kind boy he was before becoming crazed with the peaceful world his little sister sought.

There was a thump on the ground besides her, and she looked to see Zero's mask sitting on the ground besides her. She reached a hand up, and placed it above the gloved hand behind her. "Were you friends with Brother?" she asked the boy quietly, now hearing his labored breathing.

"Yes," was the chocked response. "We were."

She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Glad that at least Brother was taken out of this world by someone dear to him? Horrified that he dumped the task on a friend? She bowed her head to her chest, "I'm glad..." she whispered. "I'm not the only one with the decency to mourn."

"Nunnally..." she heard the almost familiar voice. "You're not the only one mourning, I'm sure... many just don't want to be ridiculed."

"No, I am. It was his goal to make everyone hate him, and then take himself out of the world, along with the hate. And it worked. But..." her voice became labored with tears. "I could never hate you, Big Brother... _so please don't leave me!_" she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Zero.

"Nunnally-_sama_... do you hate me? For killing him?" he was crying to, the boy behind the mask. She could her it. "You really must... I killed your only family." she felt gentle tears plop onto her head.

"Hate you? No, I do not hate you Zero." the spoke.

"Why? Why do you not hate me?" he was demanding her. "You should hate me! I killed you beloved big brother! Lelouch! I killed him! Why are you not angry at me!" the chair wriggled with the intensity and emotion of his words.

"I couldn't hate you. I am angry at you, but I do not hate you, for he most certainly asked you to do this. Really, I think it is _you_ who hates you." she realized aloud, and heard him jerk to a halt. She reached up a slim hand, and placed it on his wet cheek. "My mama always told me a warm touch was the best way to heal old wounds. What do you think?"

"Nunnally-_sama_..." the boy spoke again.

"Please don't hate yourself." she raised a hand to wipe at her eyes. "I-I don't want Brother's sacrifice to go in vain. I want people to be happy. That was his dying wish, was it not? To make the world a happier place, where people could live peacefully? That was why he died, because of a stupid thing I said." tears of self hate hit her lap. "So, that's why, I will devote the remainder of my life to upholding the peaceful world. I wont let his death go in vain. I will spend the rest of my life doing what he spent his doing. I will make the world a kinder place, for everyone."

"Nunnally-_sama_... please..." he broke down in tears. "Why..."

"Because everyone deserves a chance." she whispered. "To be a good person. Like Big Brother, who was the best person in the whole wide world."

"He was." Zero agreed. "There were times when I... strongly disagreed with his choices... but at the end of the day it was all for a good cause."

"Lelouch is on the level of a god. He changed the whole world. Destroyed it, and created it anew." they both agreed on that level. "But,... _why did he have to leave me! I want my big brother back!"_ she screamed to no one in particular. "But he will never come back."

_"__Zero-sama..._" she whispered to him. "Please take me back. I am rather tired.

"Of course, Lady Nunnally." she could hear the metallic shink of the the helmet adhering to his head. The felt the chair begin to move.

"Thank you, Sir Zero." she twiddled her thumbs in her lap. "Sir Zero? Would it be alright if I could have you as my knight of honor? Together.. perhaps we could work towards the happier world Brother wanted."

"Lady Nunnally." the Boy Behind the Mask spoke. "I would... love to help you make the world a better place.

"As my knight?" she clarified. She wanted this to be the one person close to her. Yes she had Sayako, and they had a nice maid-misstress relationship going on, but the woman was a maid and bodyguard, nothing more. The woman wasn't moved by Lelouch's death, ans that one simple fact created an impenetrable emotional barrier between the two of them.

"Yes, as your knight."

"We will skip the fanfare and trumpets, if that is fine with you? I have had enough media for a lifetime."

"I couldn't agree more, Lady Nunnally."

They then arrived at the white town car with the Brittanian flag printed on the top and sides. Cornelia was standing with her guard, as she had been put in charge of the young empress' guard, and was not going to fail as she had done with Lady Marianne. Her face was downcast, and it seemed for the first time she was realizing how much of an effect her brother's death had on her kid sister, whose eyes were rimmed with red, and had been for the past few days.

"I'm sorry. About Lelouch. What I said." she answered to her sister who was about the same age as Euphemia. Nunnally had become the object of Cornelia's Little Sister Syndrome. Cornelia was convinced she was going to protect the young empress from feeling the hurt of the adult world anymore than she already had.

Nunnally merely shook her head, tears still falling from violet eyes. "I know you are. Just not yet." Zero helped her into the car, helping her strap herself down. He then moved to get in the back section, but a hand on his cape stopped him. The child patted the seat next to her with a small smile, and no words were needed. He sad beside her, and Cornelia and Guilford sat in the from seat, Guilford driving with Cornelia in shotgun.

They arrived in Pendragon, people waving and bowing at the car as they drove past. Nunnally disliked-not hated-how cheerful they all were. Her big brother was dead, and they were just walking about, smiling like a man-a teenage boy was not just killed on live television for the whole world to see. They didn't care that a teenage boy had just died before his kid sister, who was left to scream all alone while they partied. Of course they wouldn't have noticed that. They were too busy partying.

"Big Brother sure made some enemies, didn't he?" she whispered to herself.

"It would seem so." Zero agreed.

They arrived at the castle, walking from the car parked in the drive into the house, hearing cries of 'My Lady!' and 'Dear Empress' and 'Princess Cornelia!' the whole way in, making Nunnally cry. They were all to focused on their politics to notice she had just gone to her brother's funeral, and had been the only one in attendance.

Cornelia leaned down and hugged her dear younger sister close to her. "Please... take me to my room." the child croaked to Zero, who responded swiftly.

"They're horrible. All the condolences I receive if any are false to impress me." she wept from inside her room to Zero, whom she felt the most close to in the whole castle despite the incident with her brother. She had gotten several, "You must be so sad"s from many people, who then said some kiss-up line trying to get a favor.

"They don't understand." he comforted her, The Boy Behind the Mask. "They are to indulged in politics."

"I know." the girl buried her chin in her chest. "May I please rest now?"

"Of course, Nunnally-_sama_." the boy lifted her with a gentle touch and laid her down in the overly large bed. "Have a nice nap." he spoke as he turned out the light and shut the door.

The girl's eyes filled with tears as she rolled onto her side. "Goodnight, Brother." she whispered to herself.

**A/N**

**This second part was really hard for me to write, as everything I put down on the page just felt very insensitive compared to the first part. I plan on this being a multi-chapter story, it will probably take a while for me to update though because I want to include a lot of emotion into this story, so please bare with me.**

**Thank you to all the (three) amazing reviews I got on that first chapter! They all made me feel really good, and inspired to get this thing out sooner.**

**I wont say I don't own Code Geass again. I don't need to, do I?**

**Later**


	3. Chapter 3

"Lady Nunnally, time for the party." she awoke to Sayako gently tapping her shoulder.

"Hm? The potty?" the girl sat up in bed, rubbing at her eyes.

"No. the party. Celebration of your coronation?"

"Oh yes, that. Sorry Sayako, I forgot." she tried her hardest to blink the sleepy haze from her eyes. She let Sayako help her into a dress that matched the dress she wore as Viceroy of Area 11, though the area was now it's own country, Japan standing independent once more.

There was a gentle knock at the door just before Sayako could apply makeup to the young girl's eyes. "M'lady?" Zero's hesitant voice wafted through the door.

"Hm? Yes, Zero?" she answered, delicately closing her eyes so that Sayako could add on the pink with a light touch.

"It is almost time to go down, M'lady." she informed her.

"Ah, yes. I'll be ready in a moment." the reason why it was Zero here to get her and not some other palace servant was because of her persistent insisting. Zero would be the only one allowed to take her anywhere in her chair. Anytime another person came to get her in her chair, excluding Sayako for bath times and the such, she would become silent and insist that Zero come and relieve the servant of their duty. Eventually they just stopped trying to send some other servant.

Sayako brought her chair to the door, and opened it. Nunnally smiled at the cold mask that she knew masked a young boy's face, the boy was probably Japanese so that gave her a good idea of what he may look like. She liked to imagine that he was smiling back.

Zero took a grip on the handles of Nunnally's chair-it was mechanical, but she felt safer with someone at the reigns, like she was less likely to run into walls, a remnant from when she was blind and also she knew that her depth perception was skewed, perhaps forever. Sayako was trailing a respected distance away from them, living up to her title as Lady-in-Waiting of the Empress, and the Empress' bodyguard. It had taken quite a bit of convincing to let Cornelia only have Sayako by Nunnally's side at all times, but with the arguments of how safe the palace was and how no one to her knowledge was angry at her rule, Cornelia allowed it.

They arrived at the doors behind the stage, that would lead to the podium where it was customary for the Crown to stay with their knights and bodyguards. She could hear the loudspeaker through the door.

"And now introducing, Her Royal Highness, Nunnally vi Britannia, the 100th Brittanian Empress!" with quite the loud fanfare, the doors opened to reveal a room full of noble women in silken dressed and noblemen in finely pressed suites, holding flutes of wine and sparkling ciders in their hands as they clapped her onto the podium.

"Quite the gathering, huh?" Cornelia spoke from her position beside Nunnally. "They're all here for you. You have quite the following." she smiled at the sister that was now getting the dear little sister treatment that was left over from Euphemia's sudden demise.

"They're here to swamp me with questions and gather favors." Nunnally spoke, making it very clear that her opinion of the politics of Britannia had come from her big brother. "But I suppose that's in the job description. I'm going to make the world better, first step is listening to what they have to say." she lowered her shoulders and raised her chin, the very image of perfect posture.

"Nunnally..." Cornelia's face grew proud and sorrowful. She didn't want her innocent child of a sister to be tainted by the cruel adult world while trying to make it better, her kid brother was a perfect example of happens when that happens, and she knew that Nunnally was just as cunning as her brother if she wanted to be. "Is this really what you want to do with your life?"

"Mine and Brother's." her face was stony and determined. There would be no changing her mind in the slightest.

"As you wish," Cornelia lowered her gaze. This would be the one younger sibling she would not lose to politics. She would protect this sibling. Even if the whole world had to die and rot away at her hands to do it.

Nunnally cracked a smile, and gazed at Cornelia. "Thank you, Sister."

Cornelia allowed a crack of emotion to show through her royal commander facade. She reached out a hand and grabbed the girl in a side hug.

That was when Lord Guilford came up, and offered his hand to Cornelia, with a question of "M'lady?" it was then that it became shockingly obvious to the two women that the music had been playing, and that the dance floor had people coupling up and swirling round in perfect unison, all repeating the steps that had been beat into them since childhood.

"Guilford, you of all people should know that I have to protect the Empress." Cornelia spoke in a cold voice.

"Go on, Sister." Nunnally encouraged, smiling at the princess and her knight, both of whom obviously felt a mutual attraction. "I believe the occasion deserves a dance. Go on, have fun." she smiled and made a nudging motion with her hands.

With a quick glance at Zero's mask, Cornelia allowed herself to be led onto the dace floor. In her eyes, she had made a silent plea to Zero. _"Keep her safe"_

And the Boy Behind the Mask had responded, though she had no way of knowing other than her gut, _"With my life."_

Nunnally watched all the couples spin round and round, and smiled. She liked seeing people happy, it made it seem as though Brother's goal was not as impossible as it seemed, she gazed at happy Ladies faces as they spun round with their Lords. Looking at them like this, it seemed almost easy. Yes, she was sad that she herself would not be able to grace about the dance floor, but she really was content just watching them, their intricate movements.

Zero noticed the girl's wistful look, and walked around to in front of her chair. "May I have this dance, M'lady?"

Nunnally's eyes snapped from the dance floor to Zero. "Oh- I can't, I'm fine just watching really. I don't really dance..."

"Of course you can," with his urging the girl placed her hand in his. With her permission he grabbed her, one hand supporting under her legs, and one holding up her upper back.

"Whoa!" Nunnally gave a giggle and grabbed Zero around the neck for support. "What're you doing, Zero?" she asked him as she shifted in his arms to get in a more comfortable and safe position. She could almost hear his smile.

"I'm showing you that you can dance." she was positive that there was a happy tone to his voice, but with the voice modifier installed in the mask it was harder to tell emotions in his voice. "So, shall we?"

Nunnally raised a hand to her mouth, and giggled very slightly. "Lets." she smiled big.

Then they went out onto the dance floor, twirling to the wrong beat, not matching up with the other couples on the dance floor at all. Nunnally laughed a bit as he twirled her around and around. When the song ended, pretty quickly, the two ascended the podium, and Nunnally sat down in her chair once more.

"Thank you Zero, that was a lot of fun." her smile faltered a bit. "Brother and I used to do that a lot. Turn on the radio, spin round and round about the living room." she looked down at her hands, crossed in her lap. "It was among my favorite things to do."

"Lelouch sounds like he was really kind." Zero's head gazed about the room, inspecting it for any dangers to the girl he was accompanying.

"He was. Far too kind for his own good." her smile became strained, like she was putting up airs. "The Lords and Ladies really dressed up nice for the occasion, huh?" she changed the subject, blinking her eyes tightly against tears she was not going to let fall.

"They dressed up as always, of course. This is quite the event. Not every day a new empress is crowned, a centennial empress at that."

She could imagine a steel cold grind in his voice. It was either in disdain for the nobles' exuberant nature or the grind that came from the voice changer. Either way he did not sound to happy. She couldn't say that she was faring to well either. There were people starving in Japan, and there were Brittanian nobles making themselves sick with Vine, and dancing to their hearts' content.

There was a fanfare of trumpets. It was time to ask the new empress questions on what she planned to do with her rule. Cornelia had taken her customary position beside the girl. The first question was called.

It was a man with jovially red cheeks. "Empress Nunnally, what is your plan to take back Area 11?" he had a slight slur on his words. It was the Lord of Boston, she recognized. He was always a loud one, running his mouth on how Britannia needed to gain more land, more power, and take over the E.U. and the Chinese Federation.

"I have no plans to reclaim _Japan_." she put extra emphasis on the country's name. "In fact, I have many plans in place to help the newly recovered country back on its feet and running strong once more." she spoke into the microphone that they had placed in a very specific place for easy access from her chair.

There was a murmur of dissent from the crowd.

"You mean,... you do not plan on reclaiming what is rightfully ours?" the Lady of Boston asked from her position, hanging off her husband's arm. "Then... what are we going to do? We can't just have them running around thinking that they're better than our Holy Empire!" she sounded outraged.

So that really was the way the public thought.

"I lived amongst the Japanese for the majority of my remembered life." she began, watching as the faces in the crown closest to her morphed into confusion. "The citizens want nothing more than freedom, and I feel that we should grant them that happiness that we take for vantage. I do not intend the Empire to become a pushover state, but I do plan on lightening up on war. I want nothing more than peace."

Now there was a mix of faces in the crowd. She knew that many of them too wanted peace, a majority in fact, but their sheltered life led them to believe that the path to peace was by demolishing all in their way, until only those who agreed with them were left. Nunnally planned to lead the Empire in a new direction, using peace and making people happy as their course to a kinder world that she would be proud to make.

"Peace cannot be gained through war. Wartime is the opposite of peacetime. I plan to make the way to peace paved with good nature and love towards our fellow man, not against it. I plan on making treaties with the countries of Japan, and the European Union,and the Chinese Federation, not destroying them. The only way to peace is by showing peace to them first, and to let them know your intentions straight out. That is how we will make the divine Empire." she knew how ravenously they all loved the idea of the ultimate Empire, so that would help them see her motives.

Now everyone in the crowd was nodding, agreeing with what was being said.

"Empress," one young woman with flowing red hair and a turquoise dress spoke and bowed low. "I have failed to notice you releasing any official statements on your brother, Prince Lelouch's rule. Would you mind horribly giving one now?" the woman had a mousy look to her. Later Nunnally would have to ask who she was.

"My young sister will not be taking any questions on that matter. Next please-." Cornelia stepped up, but was stopped by a small grip on her coat tail.

"No, Sister, it is about time I formally address the matter, I'm okay talking about it." she had leaned her head away from the microphone, making any bits it did manage to pick up distant and weak. She bit down on her tongue. A week after Brother's death, and she had successfully avoided answering any questions on the matter.

"Are you sure?" Cornelia knelt down to her sister's side. "You don't need to if your uncomfortable speaking about it, you're in control here." her eyebrows had raised like she was a mother hen.

"I'm fine," she gave a small smile, before turning to the mic, dignified as ever when addressing the public. "My brother's rule was the very start of the peace movement that I am carrying out with my rule, and the official end to the wartimes caused by Emperor Charles." she would not call him her father. Fathers don't send out their children to a foreign place that they're preparing to bomb.

The crowd was obviously shocked. She heard mutters of how the young were always corrupted, and how of course she'd feel sweet towards her late big brother and refuse to see anything wrong with what he did.

"He was, in his own way, trying to gain peace for everyone. His way was just different from the preferred method, but very effective. Look at the number of wars currently happening, on foreign soil, or on home turf. Look at how discord within the public has nearly disappeared all together. Brother spent his life to make the world this way, and should be revered as the herald of peace, not the bringer of death." she could feel tears welling inside her eyes. It had to be said.

"Brother was not doing what he did out of spite or malice, but merely he was doing what he had to in order to make the world better. Even if you cant forgive him, that's okay. It's even okay if you hate him. Just try to see that everything he did was for the good of the people."

There was a variety of emotions scrawling throughout the crowd. There were some angry, some sad, and some just looked like they wanted to know where all the waiters with flutes of Vine had run off too. None looked too horribly convinced of what she said. Many looked like they expected her to continue, giving a 'But his actions were unforgivable.' or something of the sort.

"And that is all I have to say on the matter." she finished, looking down. "Thank you for your attention."

A lone pair of hands started clapping. It was the redhead that had asked the question. "Beautifully phrased." she spoke out. "Thank you for the time it must have taken you to come up with that official statement. Well worth the wait."

Nunnally merely nodded her head in recognition of the woman's praise. Then the party seemed to realize that their game of twenty questions was over, and the music restarted ans couples went back to spinning round and round.

A blonde woman with big blue eyes made her way up the stairs to the podium, and she went by unstopped by Zero or Sayako, and Cornelia merely looked slightly put off as the woman knelt and pulled Nunnally into a hug.

"Nunnally, I am so sorry, this must seem like such a sham to you." spoke the woman in a much kinder tone than the press badge around her neck would lead you to believe she would act. She pulled away from the girl. "I would have come to visit you sooner, but there was so much news that we needed to cover that there wasn't anytime. I'm so sorry." she had tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Milly." Nunnally recognized the energetic blonde's voice, her gentle touch. "I'm so glad you're here." she reached out, and joined in a hug with Milly once more. Now she could make connections from the images in her room of the energetic blonde to this introverted news reporter before her. She was also close with Lelouch, before he became the 99th Emperor.

"Some day I'm going to arrange for us to meet up somewhere, see if we can also get a hold of Rivalz, and maybe even Nina, if that's not to much. I want to get the student council back together again." her eyes dropped as did Nunnally's as they both realized that they were the only surviving members of the student council. Lelouch and Suzaku had both died in pursuit of the peaceful world. All this time she had been weeping over her brother, and there was also Suzaku to weep for. She had grown very close to both boys during the Brittanian air raids, when they had been roaming city to city, family estate to family estate.

"That would be really nice." she managed out. "I would like that very much. I'll try and see if I can make it happen."

"That would be nice if we could." Milly smiled. Then the blonde realized that Nunnally was sinking back into despair. "Oh come on now, cheer up," she bopped the girl on the nose and smiled big. "None of that! Want me to go smuggle you up some cakes?" she had a mischievous glint in her eyes, and a familiar tone to her voice.

"Okay." Nunnally smiled back.

"Would you like some, Zero?" Milly straightened, and looked the man in the... mask.

"Not at all, Ms. Ashford, I am perfectly fine as is." Zero's voice sounded sort of strained.

"Okay then." she put her hands up in a very stereotypical secret agent way. She 'sneaked' over to the treats table in such a fashion and took a platter of tiny cakes from the long array of food, which was quickly replaced by a maid in a black and white uniform. She brought the cakes back up to the Empress, and sat on the arm of her chair and placed the platter before them.

"I come with treats." she declared and grabbed one, putting it into her mouth.

"Thank you, Milly." Nunnally too began to eat. She closed her eyes. No one could deny that the castle's cakes were the best. She turned around in her seat. "Zero, are you sure you don't want some? They really are quite good." her violet eyes sparkled.

"No Nunnally. I'm fine as is." he responded in a cold tone.

"Okay," she looked away and put another wonderful cake in her mouth.

"Ashford!" a man cried, running up the stairs. He too had a press badge, and he was holding a heavy looking camera over one shoulder. "What are you doing up here! Why not going and interviewing people!" he then seemed to notice what company he and Milly were in. "You Highness!" he knelt low on one leg. "I am sorry for whatever offense my reporter has caused!"

"Milly, are you still worrying people witless?" Nunnally asked before turning to the man. "Stand up, Mr...?" she let that question hover in the air.

"Watson. Michael Watson." he lunged upwards and shook her extended hand. "Very nice to make your acquaintance, Your Highnesses." he turned and acknowledged Cornelia as well. "Very sorry for what ever trouble Ashford has caused." he glared at the woman mischievously sitting on the Empress' arm rest.

"Mr. Watson, Milly has not been a trouble at all, actually I am quite pleased by her coming up to speak with me, it has been so long since the two of us met. Thank you very much for giving her the opportunity to be here today." Nunnally smiled a heart warming smile, and Mr. Watson's face grew red with all the praise.

"Aww, no need the thank me Your Highness." he rubbed the back of her neck.

"How would you like an interview?" everyone's heads snapped to her when she said that. The empress never gave out interviews, in fact she seemed to always be avoiding the cameras at all costs. To have her willingly ask for one was unheard of.

"Would you?" the man cried as he hurriedly worked to set up his camera.

"Yes, but not here, perhaps we could set up in my room?" she smiled, deciding that it was about time to take to the public, and that Milly's station would be the best way to do that.

Milly hopped off from her seat, and Zero took his cue to start moving the chair to Nunnally's room, as she had directed. "Nunnally, why are you doing this?" she ran alongside them, ignoring her cameraman struggling to keep up as she questioned the girl.

"Because it seems about time I make a public statement, and you're a reporter, so why not?" she smiled. "And that room was too stuffy, the smell of Vine gets on my nerves after a while." she grabbed the woman's hand. "And I wanted to do the interview some where a bit more private than that."

Zero leaned his body across Nunnally and opened the door into her rather spacious room. "Let's sit over there," she pointed to a plush seat with a coffee table besides it, and Zero obeyed, placing her chair across from the coffee table, and Milly took a hint and sat in the plush chair. "Zero, why don't you go grab yourself a chair? You've been standing an awful lot today?"

"No Lady Nunnally. I'm fine standing." he responded, standing stiff as a board.

"Please, I insist, do sit down." she smiled, a smile that spoke of happiness through the pain of her brother's recent death.

The Boy Behind the Mask nodded and grabbed a seat and sat down beside the child, at a line towards the camera that Mr. Watson had finished setting up.

"Mr. Zero, would you mind it if I asked you some questions as well?" Milly asked.

"Not at all." he responded, keeping one eye on Nunnally. He was waiting for her to burst, there was no way having all of this drama and reminders of Lelouch this soon. He was, however, glad that now Milly and Nunnally had met up. It would be good for their recovery, he was sure.

"Thank you!" Milly leapt up and hugged the boy, startling him. "Watson, camera!" she called to the man.

"On!" he responded.

"Hello, I'm Milly Ashford on site with Empress Nunnally vi Britannia, in an exclusive interview taking place in here in her own personal quarters, she and Zero of The Black Knights have both agreed to answer some questions for us." Milly quickly turned to serious reporter mode, and turned to Nunnally. The girl was smiling and waving at the camera.

"Lady Nunnally, what are your thoughts on recent happenings?"

"It's all been happening rather fast." Nunnally began to speak, blinking rapidly as she organized her thoughts on the spot. "But I think that it is all for the best, and that things are finally looking up. The world is finally not warring, and everyone just seems more happy. I think we can only go up from here." she spoke.

"And what is your opinion of Japan being free?" the woman continued, looking genuinely interested in the girl's words.

"I think it is a wonderful, wonderful thing." Nunnally's eyes sparkled. "I lived in Japan for a year before the air raids, and I can honestly say it was a beautiful place full of friendship and kindness, and a fun place to live in. The people were wonderful, as well as the scenery. Britannia _will _be aiding in Japan's recovery from the wars, and to become that beautiful nation once more." she crossed her arms across her body, and looked down.

"And Zero? What are your thoughts on Japan's liberation and Brittannia's plans to help in the recovery?" she looked with curious eyes, as well as all the viewers would be at ten when it aired on prime time.

"I believe it is a good thing." he began slowly. "I agree with Her Highness' notion of how Japan was a wonderful place before, and I believe that it will be able to become the wonderful nation it was once again. I believe that Brittania's help in rebuilding would be good, but it all depends on how it is handled. Japan can't and will not rely on or need help for long." he had a relatively small screen presence, unlike when it was Lelouch beyond the mask and all cameras gravitated towards him. It was so blatantly obvious that the person behind the mask had changed.

The interview continued as one would expect an interview to, discussing the Chinese Federation, the European Union, but it stayed far away from any matters relating to Lelouch, and his demise. Milly was a smart lady, avoiding any and all things that would trigger the girl, as she could see in her eyes that she was fragile and under pressure, ready to snap at any possible moment.

"Thank you very much for speaking to us today, Empress Nunnally, Zero." Milly stood and shook both of their hands.

"My pleasure." Nunnally responded, with a big smile and a firm hand shake to agree with Milly.

"Clear." spoke Watson, as the telltale red light above the camera snapped off.

"Thank you so much, Nunnally, for this amazing opportunity." Milly hugged the girl full on, nearly lifting her out of her chair. "We will definitely stay in touch, okay? No disappearing on me, got it?" She pointed at the girl sternly, before hugging the girl again, and having little tears leaking out of her eyes.

"Just stay safe, okay? And don't do anything stupid that would risk your life! Don't go and get yourself killed, okay?" she had already lost far too much, she was sick of losing those she cared about. She didn't want to lose Nunnally as well.

Nunnally's eyes watered as well, as she reached the same conclusion. "You don't be stupid either, alright? I don't want to lose any more friends." she too began to weep, and both men in the room looked away. Watson was visibly embarrassed by the show of emotion in front of him, and felt that he shouldn't be there, seeing what was obviously a personal moment.

Zero however was turned away because he didn't want the girls to see the tears in his eyes. It was a silly notion, but he was crying at their pain. The pain he had caused. The pain he caused when he killed Lelouch, when he killed the man he once was. He was crying like a little baby, and turned away from them as if they could see through his mask. How ridiculous. He chocked back a sob. This was his punishment. His eternal punishment for killing Lelouch, for killing his friend. Zero squeezed his eyes shut and looked back at Milly who was preparing to leave.

"I'll escort you two out," he spoke, the voice disguise hiding whatever quiver his voice may have. Nunnally looked at him for a moment, before nodding, telling him that she was fine being alone. Then she turned her eyes out the window. She could see Aries Villa from her room.

After Mr. Watson had disappeared down the hall ahead of them, he had started while the girls were speaking, Zero roughly grabbed Milly's arm dragging her to a halt.

"Thank you very much, Ms. Milly. I do believe your being here will help Nunnally's health." he told her in a low voice.

"I'm glad you think so." Milly smiled. "Bye-bye!" she waved to him and saw herself out.

_This will be a good thing._

**A/N**

**I'm back.**

**Don't have much to say, other than that this is a pretty hard story to write.**

**Also! I got some really good constructive criticism in the comments that made me want to clear something up: I interpreted the scene where Nunnally saw the vision as her realizing what Lelouch had been planning, not as her actually seeing those images, thank you so much for pointing that out, netherdragon1, I love the helpful feed back!**

**Disclaimer: you can't make me say it.**

**See you later~!**


	4. Chapter 4

Kallen Kouzuki watched the news from her home in Japan, looking at the new Britannian Empress. She smirked when the imposter Zero said that Japan didn't need to much help rebuilding. "Damn right we don't." she whispered, mindful of her mother who was in recovery, sleeping the next room over.

Her mom was currently in recovery from her use of Refrain, and Kallen was helping her every step of the way, constantly reminding the woman that she was loved, and that while the happy times were gone for a while they were coming back very soon.

Nunnally looked almost happy. Her eyes were watery, hinting that there definitely was something wrong, something that would probably never be right again, but she also had a familiar look of determination in her eyes, and a familiar tone to her voice. She looked just like Lelouch when ever he was consumed by a goal.

The thought of that made Kallen's chest hurt. She loved the girl, the way she loved a dear little sister, and her goals were noble. But she also knew Lelouch, the older brother she took after so much, and she knew how he got when he was consumed with a goal... she knew where that would lead to. But Nunnally had this odd, faux Zero to help her. He was obviously kind and resigned, and would not take unnecessary risks that would wind Nunnally in a untimely grave. That much was blatantly obvious from the little time he had on screen. She trusted this mysterious man.

She had heard rumor of there being a funeral for Lelouch, in the mainland. Kallen couldn't go no matter how much she wanted too, her sickly mother needed her here, but she did make sure to carry out her own funeral service for Lelouch, in her own way. A picture of him hung on a wall above a shelf, right next to a picture of her own big brother. There she would place little trinkets, anything to keep the memory of the dead alive. Every morning they were the first things she saw, the first people she gave her 'good morning's to.

"Kallen,dear?" came a voice from a dark room, a woman with dark hair contrasting her daughter's crimson walking into the light, her brown eyes squinting shut.

"Yes, Mother?" the blue-eyed youth turned the television to mute, to better hear her mother's soft voice, and to not worry her over current events. Too much stress could be bad on the body, she had been warned by many doctors. "Do you need anything?"

"Just to say good morning, and that I love you." the woman walked over to the couch where her daughter had situated herself, planting a kiss on the child's forehead.

"Love you too." the girl responded, realizing that the sun had begun to creep up on the horizon. She had been watching the news broadcast live in Brittanian time, so radically different from her current timezone, even if she wasn't completely adjusted over yet. "Sit down, I'll get started on breakfast!" the girl all but shoved her mother into the soft couch, and began to walk to the kitchen.

"Good morning." she said to the pictures as she breezed past, and through the door to the kitchen, letting it whisk shut behind her.

The woman on the couch, bags under her eyes turned to the shrine her daughter had made for the deceased loved ones in her life. How easily she had nearly became one of them, all because of some drug. "Good morning." she greeted the dead, in a slightly more formal tone than her daughter's casual way of speaking to her brother and best friend.

Kallen breezed back into the room, a bowl in one hand, and a cup of tea in the other. "Here you are, Mother." she spoke softly and delicately, as if she was scared the slightest sound would blow the woman away.

"You baby me so much." the woman remarked, but took the tea in her hands and took a sip. It was delicious. "I'm never gonna want you to leave." she placed her free hand over her daughter's shoulders,watching kindly as the girl drank in her own tea.

"I'm never gonna leave, Mother." the girl assured.

"Yes you are. You will go back to school when term starts back up, you will go to university someday, get married, have your own family." the woman smiled. "Your life and family will grow bigger than just this one woman."

"Not for a very long time." Kallen assured. School was mostly out for the older kids, and she didn't plan on leaving her mother alone for years, maybe ever.

"Just make sure to keep me in your life?" the woman began to pet her daughter's crimson, Brittanian hair.

"Always." the girl snuggled into the crook of her mother's neck, a wide smile on her face.

"Now, you really do have places to go, though." her mother glanced at the clock.

Kallen looked as well, and jumped up. She was going to be late to the meeting if she didn't leave soon! "You're right! Thanks Mom, gotta go!" she shrugged a bag over her shoulder and took to the streets, feeling perfectly fine in the shorts and T-shirt she had been watching TV in.

She got many greetings and smiles as she hurried down the street. As one of the Black Knights, a founding member at that, she was very popular, almost to the point of not being able to go any where. She would rather it if she were unable to go anywhere. It would save her all the dull trips to the meetings, like the one she was heading to.

For lack of a better name, these meetings were called Rebuilding Meetings. Much like the name would suggest, they were meetings to plan the best route for Japan's reconstruction. Much to her annoyance, Kallen was required to go to every single meeting. Because a teenager would be _so _much of a help in these matters.

Ohgi had been voted temporary Prime Minister, though. That was one good thing to come from the meetings. He was a good leader, and she couldn't see him _not_ being voted into some office at some point.

She opened and shut the door as quietly as she could. She was late. She rushed to her chair, as inconspicuously as she could, just in time to hear some talk of a good way to augment the income, and using factories to their advantage. A truly boring conversation.

It was a boring conversation, up until the point where they started talking about the social side of things. Many Britanians hadn't made it out of Japan in time before Brittania cut off all transportation to the country, and as such, Japan with no ships had no way to get them back to their own country. The conversation was interesting for a moment, but that point worked as a bridge into how Japan should go about getting more ships.

At least volunteer efforts were going well. With how _fast_ these meetings were going, they'd make a decision next year, on what ever topic they do eventually settle on. The volunteer efforts were really going well, rebuilding houses and public service buildings that had been destroyed. There were several apartment buildings popping up where regal mansions once gobbled up space.

She fell asleep with her head in her arms, not really a surprise considering she had been up since the wee hours of the morning watching TV, and the pure _enthusiasm_ the meeting members spoke with. For the life of her, she couldn't remember the dreams she had, but they were disturbing. She had tears on her face when she was shaken awake for lunch.

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long, a lot of crap happened. thanks to everyone reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

A brown haired girl sat at the head of a table, a man all dressed in black, face covered with a mask standing diligently beside her. The girl was taking small bites of a fine steak, the boy beside her refused to take his mask off in order to eat with everyone. He ate alone in his room after he retired for the night.

Many other foreign advisers and dukes and generals sat around the large table, all eating their own fine cuts of steak. Conversation was raving about the table, for who would want a quiet dinner after a long, difficult day?

The men didn't start with weather or gossip either, they went straight into the heavy, pressing matters.

"I hear the Elevens have elected a leader, 'Prime Minister' Ohgi. They've taken after the European Union's wimpy popularity contest, sorry 'Democracy'." one man was having a conversation with the man next to him, but the tone was loud enough to make it obvious to all that he wanted people to hear.

"Lord Windston." Nunnally spoke, and the loud man turned, he was a aristocrat with a heavy hand in politics, she knew. "Would you mind saying why you think the Japanese getting their own leader is so bad? You seem to have an awful lot of ideas that must be shared." she took another delicate bite, big violet eyes questioning the man who had gone gray.

"N-Nothing." the man responded, seeing the cold smile on her face.

"No, please share. I would like to know your opinion on the matter. Ohgi, you said was the Prime Minister's name, correct?" she smiled. Her knife cut through flesh. Steak flesh, at least.

"Y-yes." the man who had been so strong in his beliefs before turned pale as he looked at the little girl with wide eyes and a cold smile. She looked like a ruthless ruler. Must run in the family. She smiled like a demon masquerading as an angel.

"You seem to have a strong opinion on democracy. I'm genuinely interested. Please, do share." no one could hear the laughter of the Boy in the Mask beside her, him having turned off his microphone. The little girl was fed up.

"I-I just find it a bit ridiculous that the people decide who rules. There is really no way the ruler will be competent, only that they will be good at lying through their teeth to the public." the man would have been able to fill his wine glass with the amount he was sweating.

"That certainly is one point." Nunnally looked down at her food, then back up and the man as her hand directed a forkful of mashed potatoes to her mouth. "However, I have to argue with you on one point, if I may." no one was going to stop her. "You say that all the winners of democracy have to do is be good at lying to the public. If that is the case then, pray tell, what have rulers of Britania been doing for hundreds of years?"

There was a heavy silence in the room. No one knew how to respond to that. It was true. It was one of the biggest complaints with democracy, but it was true in their Britanian monarchy as well. The girl grabbed her tall glass, full of apple juice, she was a minor, and looked out at the table with a petulant smile.

A different man spoke up now, a certain Baron of Concord, "Well, in the past, Emperors have always lied to keep the peace, and make sure no conflict started amongst the countrymen, to keep the Holy Britanian Empire as such."

"That is true. Often times lies are to keep people from revolting against a higher power ruling over them. But, often those lies have been to cover up other wars that were caused with us as a purposefully offending force, to keep the people from complaining about war. It does keep the people from revolting, yes, but it keeps them from knowing the truth."

"Why should we answer to a little girl on men's matters?" the comment was made while she was speaking, but the second it came out of his mouth he sincerely regretted his choice. The General was locked in a staring contest with the empress.

"I'm sorry, General, I had no idea you wished to speak. Such a _little girl_ as myself has no way of knowing such matters." she gave a sickly sweet smile. When the man made merely chocking noises, the little girl gave small chuckle. "My, my. Cat got you tongue, Sir? Ah, time for dessert."

The educated men at the table knew a subject change when they heard one, and spoke of more appropriate matters as slices of cake were given to the men and young girl at the table. They ate in relative silence, and as people finished eating conversation gradually picked up again. The clock struck ten.

"Very sorry, gentlemen, but a little girl like me has a bedtime, wont do for me to be getting cranky, now will it." she smiled at the general. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Zero?" she smiled towards the man, and he wordlessly began to wheel her out of the room.

_"Those guys are really something, eh?"_ the girl asked in Japanese, the language she and Zero used whenever they didn't want to be understood, normally after such 'fun' meetings as that one had been.

"_And they complain of democracy being corrupt."_ the man agreed, turning to the elevator that would take them to the empress' floor.

_"At least in democracy the peoples decide who governs, even if they corrupt, it was their decision to elect them in the first place."_ she placed a hand to her forehead, and breathed out heavily. _"If I have to sit through one more meeting with them..."_

The man in the mask laughed and patted the girl's head, "_You can do it. They just don't know what they're doing is wrong. They will learn in time."_

_"Or I could weed out the unworthy."_ she smiled, looking back at him. _"Get the disagreeable men out the council."_

_"But they are there because the public and other high ranking officials like them. It would be considerably difficult to keep control without them there. As you heard, they already think of you as a weak little girl that cannot rule competently." _the man pointed out. This happened often, the two of them getting into healthy debates to try and figure stuff out.

_"How cumbersome." _the girl groaned. _"The worst poison is at the top levels of the government. I'm already seen as nothing more than a head to the majority."_ it was true. The little girl empress was not expected to rule by anyone for a long while yet, which made the ministers that tried to control her angry when she tried to rule.

By that time, they were at Nunnally's quarters, where Zero bid her goodnight, and Sayako took over getting the young girl to bed. Before he left the cheerful girl had given him a hug, and a big smile as he walked away, down the hall.

"So, Lady Nunnally, how was the meeting?" Sayako asked with a smile after she had gotten her mistress into a nightgown, and was combing her hair at the vanity. Sayako already knew how it was—all the meetings went the same, and she had heard the annoyed tones Nunnally had been speaking in.

"_Ugh,_" was all the girl answered, face crumbling as she reached for the makeup remover, one part of her nightly ritual that she insisted on doing herself.

"That bad?" Sayako asked, gently braiding her lady's hair.

"No worse that normal, I suppose." Nunnally replied. "Just listening to men who were born with a silver spoon shoved in their mouth making fools of themselves over matters that they really do not know anything about."

"Oh?"

"Apparently democracy is bad because politicians lie. But Britanians only lie when necessary, so it's perfectly fine." she waved her hands around, before pressing a cotton ball to her eye to remove the deep violet eye shadow.

"How dense those men can be." Sayako agreed, tucking the empress into bed. "Goodnight, Milady."

"'Night, Sayako." the girl rolled over in her large bed, shifting around under yellow covers.


	6. Chapter 6

p style="margin-bottom: 0in;""Hmm, always so interesting." a petulant voice mused. "Is this really what you had planned for all along? Lelouch." green hair darted around a doorway./p 


	7. Chapter 7

Kallen Kouzuki was bored at yet another boring meeting. Her head was in her hands, and she was vainly trying to count the number of tiles on the ceiling, when a civilian in a blue uniform walked into the room, and plopped something before her on the table, walking around the room, giving one to everyone.

It was a handwritten letter, and from just the envelope, in was very important, and regal-looking. The characters were sprawling, almost hard to read. It was a child's sprawl on the page, really. There were little grammar mistakes everywhere, and pencil marks dotted the page.

_Kallen Kouzuki_

_You are invited to a ball that is being held in Pendragon, Britania, that is being held to celebrate Brother, Zero, and the Black Knights. I'd really love it if you could come, and similar notes are being sent to all members of the Knights we could get a hold of._

_I hear Ohgi has become the Prime Minister! How good for him! It makes me glad to see that everything has been going well over there. I am very glad that Big Brother's plans worked, and that Japan is Japan once more._

_Of course, there will be political aspects to this ball(unfortunately). I think you will agree that we have some issues to work out with out countries, no? Don't worry, I'll try to weed out the more bigoted court members(nearly all of them)._

_After, I'll be holding a secret memorial service. It will be for all those who knew Brother, and were close to him. You can go ahead and spread the word amongst those who knew Brother's identity, or those who you know would want to go._

_There will also be another one for Suzaku. Yes, they will be separate. I want to give my two boys an equal amount of love. You can spread that one around as well._

_I personally look forward to meeting with you again, being able to catch up. It's been a crazy couple of months, wouldn't you say? I know you were pretty high up in the knights, so you've probably had to go through just as much political crap as I have. I'd love to be able to get together to complain about it, wouldn't you?_

_Oh! I almost forgot! I'm trying to get the student council back in touch! I've seen Rivalz a couple times, but I'm not able to reach him whenever. I have been keeping in close touch with Milly, though. With you, and Nina I would be so close to getting the whole crew back together again._

_Well, except..._

_I hear that they're working on restoring Ashford Academy, is that true? Maybe sometime we should all plan to meet there, have reunion at the place where it all got started. I think that would be fun._

_I'll try to figure out some not heavily monitored way to talk with you in the future. I really want us to be able to keep in touch. _

_Don't be a stranger!_

_I look forward to seeing you(I can do that now!)_

_Nunnally._

There were more forms, both legal work and P.S. Letters from Nunnaly scattered in the envelope. She kept everything in the regal slip, and stared at the shaking piece of paper, clutched in her hand.

The half girl moved a hand up to her face, almost weeping. She stood and nearly ran to the bathroom, all the others in the room understanding as they had all read their own personalized letters as well, though none hit as personally as hers did.

She'd _thought_ she was over it. She'd thought months of distancing herself from thinking about the Lost Boys would ease the hurt. But here she was, being slapped in the face with it, the harsh reality, feelings just as strong as they had been the day after it had happened.

She was glad to receive word from Nunnally. The girl had been detached in any news footage involving her, that one interview she did with Milly notwithstanding. But getting this letter—damn it, this letter didn't even have anything emotional written into it, why was she so upset!

She turned on the sink, wasting water, something she'd be berated for under any other circumstances. She sobbed. She was so confused, confused by her own emotions.

As Zero, he had been her strategic and fearless leader, guiding them to victory, and using his words to will all over to his side. As Lelouch Lamprouge he had been an awkward high school student, to brilliant and cheeky for his own good and caring big brother. As Lelouch vi Britannia he had been the most ruthless and terrible leader the world had ever known. He had powers, a curse that he used in morally grey grounds, closer to black than white.

She wanted to be angry with him so badly. She wanted to hate him for using that power of his to control the people's minds, her own mind. She wanted to resent him for all the terrible things he did as leader of Britannia.

She wanted to punch him for leaving.

No matter how much she wanted to hate him, she couldn't. She missed the good old days, the happy memories made with him, in the halls of Ashford Academy. She missed the person he was before this whole mess. She missed that brilliant school boy, that fearless leader, more than she could ever hope to hate a wicked emperor.

She missed him. He was one of her boys. He had the honored place on the memory shelf, Nunnally's big brother residing beside her own.

And that made her so mad at herself. She couldn't even hate the man that had done so much!

She looked down at the soft pink papers of the letter again. The words were swimming before her gaze as she read over the dates, and the plans to send over planes special for them, and how they'd make sure to get permission for the airspace. The letter ended, begging her to come to the ball and memorial services.

Of course she would go to the damn ball, the services, political meetings, everything. Lelouch was one of her boys, and this was what he'd wanted to do, and if she didn't carry out his goal the way she had already carried out her own brother's she'd be very disappointed in herself.


End file.
